Washing-machine



- mmm o. o. HOWELL. Washing Machine.

No. 241,218. vPatented May1o,18s1.

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N. PETERS. Phoio-Lithogmphar. Washington, D. CA

IINTTED STATES PATENT EETCE.

CHARLOTTE O. HOW'ELL, OF KOUTS STATION, INDIANA.

WASHING-MACHINE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 241,218, dated May 10, 1881.

Application filed March Q6, 1881.

T o all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, CHARLOTTE O. HOWELL, of Kouts Station, in the county' of Porter and State ofIndiana,haveinvented certain new and useful Improvements in Machines for Washing Clothes; and I do hereby declare that the following is a full, clear, and exact description of the same, reference beinghad to the accompanying drawings, iu which- Figure l is a longitudinal sectional vicw through the central line ofthe machine. Fig. 2 is a cross-section through the same.

The object of the invention is to provide a cheap, simple, and efficient means for washing dirty clothes; and to that end the invention consists in certain improvements in the structure of a washing machine, substantially as hereinafterset forth, and more particularly defined by claim.

To make the body A of the machine or tub proper, two equal and parallel semicircular wooden side pieces, c a, are arranged so that their ri ght-line uppered ges shall bein the same horizontal plane, and corresponding parts of their curved lower edges be exactly opposed. To these curved edges the tub-bottom B, preferably composed of short wooden cross-pieces, is fastened, the several parts being securely jointed together to render the bottom perfectly water-tight. In lieu ofthe wooden bottom one of sheet metal in continuous piece, or in sections rivcted, soldered, or otherwise held together, may be used. The tub is conveniently mounted on legs attached to the side pieces, a. a, and has a hinged cover, C, to inclose the top, suitably slotted, to allow for the play of the dash-staff c.

Opposite and parallel-inclined grooves b are cut on the inner faces of the side pieces, a a, into which grooves the edges of the perforated end boards or baflies, c c, slide, to retain said baiiesfirml y in place during the operation ofthe machine. The baflies c c are numerously perforated with iine holes to allow for the free passage of water throughout their entire surface, except for a slight distance above their lower edges. This portion is left imperforate, and the lower edge of the baffle is made to lit close in contact with thc bottom of the tub.

Midway of the upper edges of the side pieces, a a., journal-bearin gs are made for the reduced (No model.)

ends orjournals of the rocking crosspiece or roller d, said journals being kept in place by the tangent contact of the hinged lid G above them.

A mortise is cut through the center of the roller d, into which the staff c of the dash is fitted, one en d of the statt' projecting above the tub to form an operating-hamlle, and its opposite end beating the dz'ish-boardj', that is made solid and of such size and shape as to fit closely to the interior walls and bottom of the tub. 3y this provision the dash-board tends to force the volume of water and the clothes within the tub bodily before it at each alternation of the dash.

' lhe several parts being combined as hereinbefore described, and a suitable quantity of clothes aud wash-water distributed on both sides of the dash within the tub, the operator grasps the hamlle of the dash-staff and vibrates it firmly to and fro, thus causing the solid dashboard f to closely' traverse th'e curvilinear path of the tub-bottom, aml alternately pressing the clothes and contained water against the opposite inclincs c c. The movement ot' the dashboard, the curvature of the tub-bottom, and the incline of the baffles all imite to tumble, roll, or rub thel clothes, and to expose fresh surfaces for washing, and at the same time to return the clothes in position for the nextstroke of the dash. The dash being solid and comparatively close-itting to the tub-walls, forces a large volume of water through the fabric, as the clothes rest against the baffles, toward the end of the stroke, and this water carries the dirt from the meshes of the fabric through the perforations of the baffles into the pocket-like chambersbehind them. Here themechanical 'impurities settle to the bottom behind the baf- IOO end baffles, and vibrating dash; and I do not wish to claim such structure broadly; but in some of said maehines the end baffles and the dash are made of a series of slats set ed gewise to form a rack-fram e, which rapidly ehafes the clothes and tends to knot and tear the same. No provision is made to prevent return of the impurities to the general volume of wash-Water, nor is the open form of dash adapted to force the water through the meshes of the fabric. Other machines have the plain board perforated baies, but the perforations are large rather than small and numerous, so that the edges tend to eliafe and wear the clothes forced through them by the inrush of water, nor are the perforations located with reference to trapping the lneehanical impurities ot' the Washwater. 0n the contrary, both the baftles and the curvilinear bottom, on which rest the the tub having water-tight curved bottom, of' 3o the solid vibrating dash, and theinelined end boards or bailles, provided with a. series of fine perforations, all substantially as herein set forth.

CHARLOTTE C. HOWELL. Witnesses DANIEL Woon, AMELIA WooD. 

